Shopping Apps Offer Big Deals

I know you may cringe at the thought of the Holiday season so soon (the snow, the traffic, the mad shopping rush), but the truth is it will be here before you know it. This is especially true for all of you Black Friday shoppers. The season is expected to be very different this year, with the popularity of mobile, social and daily deals shaking things up in the marketing and commerce scene.

Tablets and smartphones have become a convenient and preferred way to shop. According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, more than 50% of smartphone and tablet owners will use their devices to shop this holiday season. This includes researching products and prices, purchasing and redeeming coupons. Retailers and brands should take advantage of these statistics by making sure their mobile and tablet commerce-enabled sites are ready and able.

App developers have already recognized the power of mobile shoppers, and have come up with quite a few nice apps. One of which, Shoparazzi, developed by Geocast, allows you to track your favorite shops and brands and see when they're discounted in your area.

The Shoparazzi service (which is currently only for iPhone), draws on a database of store locations and websites and also aggregates social media feeds and email newsletters from fashion labels and retailers. The service is curated by editors who then update sales locations, says the company. Users are then sent alerts when their favorite retailers have a promotion, or when shops discount items they are looking for.

Mobile technology now allows consumers to access the best deals in a more efficient and personalized manner. Most importantly, retailers need to be prepared for the amount of customer engagement on mobile that will occur this year.